Php 70.00 Vol. 44 No. 1 • JANUARY 2010 - IMPACT Magazine Online!

Human Ecology and Peace
enable countries like the Philippines to
obtain incentives for keeping standing
forests. Recently a country like Guyana
signed an agreement with First World
Norway by which Guyana will accelerate
its efforts to limit forest-based greenhouse
gas emissions and protect its rain
forest as an asset for the world. Norway,
in turn, will initially put US$30 million
into Guyana’s “REDD Plus” fund and
subsequent payments of up to US$250
million over five years would be contingent
with Guyana’s ability in limiting
emissions and reducing deforestation,
which, currently, is almost negligible.
One wonders if the Philippines could
not do something similar.
The journey to Copenhagen began in
Rio de Janeiro in 1992, when nations adopted
the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change as the basis for response
to global warming. Then, in 1997, 37
industrialized nations and the European
Union agreed on emission targets through
the Kyoto Protocol. It was, however,
largely unfulfilled. Thus the original goal
of the Copenhagen talks was to forge a
binding treaty that would go far beyond
that pact in securing concrete actions
worldwide. However, at the end of the day,
Copenhagen concluded a climate change
deal that was “meaningful” (per President
Obama) but “not binding”. Seventeen
years of talk is not enough. The talking
will continue in Mexico City in November
2010. But it’s not clear if a binding
agreement will be put in place then. If not,
the next talkies on so urgent a topic will
occur in 2015. It will all depend on the
foxes governing the henhouse. Unless…
until the power of the Spirit is allowed
to move hundreds of millions listening
to Rome for direct action. It may then be
possible again to bring down the mighty
from their thrones and allow the peoples
of Earth to love the only planet that gave
them their life and being.
Last week Pope Benedict XVI
said that environmental care requires
a conversion, a change in mentality: a
change in lifestyles, making them more
sober; a change in our development
model, which is all too often designed
for “narrow economic interests” without
care for creation; and experiencing
solidarity “that is projected in space
and time.” In a word: the problem of
protecting the environment is a moral
one. Thus, “humanity needs a profound
cultural renewal; it needs to rediscover
those values which can serve as the solid
basis for building a brighter future for
all. Our present crises—be they economic,
food-related, environmental or
social—are ultimately also moral crises,
and all of them are interrelated.”
Meanwhile, we hear the Pontiff:
“If you want to cultivate peace, protect
creation.” I
© Rodne Galicha
20
IMPACT • January 2010